Growing Pains
by Redi Chalyn
Summary: Bethany and Carver, twins yet opposites, grew up together, never apart. Their older sister could always take their sadness, their pain away somehow. Some growing pains, however, cannot be taken away. Oneshot.


Two dark haired babies lay in a blanket, sleeping peacefully. Their heads were turned to face each other and slowly their hands crept together and their fingers interlocked. The face of a five year old girl looked down at them, her own black hair tied back in a loose ponytail. She looked up at a brunette woman. "Mama, why do they cry when they're not together?"

The woman smiled down at her. "Because they're afraid of growing pains, darling."

The girl's brow furrowed. "They don't need to be afraid of anything. I'll protect them!"

The woman laughed while trying to hush the girl so as not to wake the sleeping babes. "Of that I have no doubt. You'll protect them forever."

Six years later, an eleven year old girl was play fighting with a six year old boy while a six year old girl sat nearby. The older girl laughed as she dodged the boy's attack. "You'll have to be better than that if you ever want to be a warrior!"

The boy's face reddened. "Well you'll never be a warrior either, sister! Look at you-using two swords instead of one!" He raised his 'sword' and brought it down, but the girl still dodged.

"Carver, I've told you. These aren't swords. They're daggers, and I'll be the best rogue in Ferelden!" She spun around and swung her 'daggers', stopping just as they touched Carver's neck. "But at least I can dodge."

Carver pushed her away, then looked over at the other girl. "Bethy, what're you doing?"

The girl sniffed as though she'd been crying and the older girl dropped her weapons, running over. "Bethany, what's wrong?"

Bethany looked up at her older sister. "I...look." She held out a hand and a blueish light appeared. "I'm a...a..." She cried, the orb dissipating.

The older girl pulled Bethany into a hug, kissing her head. Carver came over. "Why you crying, Bethy?"

The older girl looked up at Carver and smiled. "She's just having growing pains. Everything will be okay in a little bit." She pulled her young sister into her lap and slowly rocked back and forth, soothing the tears. She knew exactly what this meant, but she didn't want both of her siblings so scared.

The answer seemed to satisfy Carver and he nodded. "Growing pains hurt," he sat down next to them, rubbing his twin's arm. "I get em too, Bethy. It'll go away, don't worry."

The older girl smiled at Carver, but it was difficult to keep the sadness from her eyes. This was one growing pain that would never go away. When they returned to their home, Carver tugged on Leandra's dress saying Bethany had growing pains. Leandra turned and looked at her young daughter, face still stained from the tears. She looked at her older child and her smile flickered. She collected herself. "Well then let's go see Daddy. He can always take away those growing pains."

Bethany cried. "No! I don't want Daddy! I want Carver!" She reached out for her twin, who came over and held her hand. Their older sister gently disentangled herself from them and stepped over to their mother, standing on her tiptoes and whispering in her ear. Leandra paled, but composed herself.

Carver laughed. "I know how to cheer my Bethy up." He stepped back from his twin and did a ridiculous looking jig, making Bethany laugh.

Five years later, an eleven year old Carver was practicing fighting with his sixteen year old sister. They'd been using real blades for some time, thanks to Carver's insistence he wouldn't hurt his sister, which made their parents laugh too hard to say no. Bethany was sitting a ways away, creating a fireball in her hands. She lost control and the flames went flying toward her siblings, hitting the ground at their feet. Luckily, both jumped out of the way and the older girl stamped out the flames on the grass. Carver turned and glared at his twin. "Are you an idiot?! You could have killed us!"

Bethany shook her head. "I didn't mean to, Carver...I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't keep the Templars from finding us, will it?" He stormed off.

The older girl went to her crying sister and sat down, gently pulling her down as well. She hugged her close, kissing her head. Bethany cried, "Why does he hate me so? It's not my fault..."

"He's just having growing pains, Bethy. He'll be okay." The girl gently rocked back and forth, softly humming an old song she'd long forgotten the words to.

Seven years later, the air of Lothering was thick with fear. Many families had already left, but just as many stayed behind. An eighteen year old Carver knocked on the wall to the room his sisters shared. "Sister?"

The twenty-three year old turned her head from the mirror and looked at him. "Yes?"

Carver took a deep breath. "I'm going with you to Ostagar."

She looked at him more seriously, lips parting in shock. "You-no. I-no. You can't."

"Yes, I am. I've already told Mother."

"Carver, I-" The woman sighed. "Mother and Bethy need you to protect them."

"I know. And that's exactly what we'll do, together. If we defeat the darkspawn at Ostagar, the horde will never reach Lothering."

The woman smiled softly and nodded. "We'll go together then." She grabbed her pack and walked out the door, clapping Carver's shoulder. "I'll wait until you're packed."

Carver held up his own pack. "Let's go."

The woman nodded. As they said their good-byes, Bethany started crying and begging them not to go. The woman pulled her sister into a hug. "We'll be fine, Bethy."

Carver nodded. "I'll bring you a present." When he saw his twin was still crying, he set his pack down. "Bethy," when she was looking, he did his little jig. Bethany laughed and Carver kissed her on the cheek as they left.

It took the two a few days to get to Ostagar, but they were quickly accepted into the king's army. Within a week, the Grey Warden Duncan and his new recruit had arrived and the battle was to be that night. They decided to get some sleep before nightfall, but neither could close their eyes. The woman simply stared at the stars, until she was pulled out of her thoughts by Carver's whisper. "Sister?"

The woman sat up, looking at her brother. "Scared, Carver?" Carver shook his head. "Good, because you don't need to be."

Carver went over and sat beside her, looking up at the stars. "I wonder if Bethy is looking at these same stars."

The woman looked up thoughtfully. "I'm sure she is. You'll be able to look at them with her when we return home."

Carver nodded, swallowing. The horn sounded and the woman stood. Carver grabbed her hand. "I am scared."

The woman knelt beside her brother and gripped his shoulder, looking in his eyes. "You've nothing to be afraid of, Brother. I'm right here. I'll be right beside you, and I will protect you." She smiled softly, cupping his ear. "You're just having growing pains." She stood with him and they went to the front line, looking at the darkspawn. They could feel the fear of everyone around them. The woman nudged Carver. "You should do your jig. Maybe with everyone laughing, the darkspawn will get hurt feelings and leave."

Carver laughed nervously. "I doubt I can even make my feet move."

The woman rubbed his arm. "I'm right beside you, Carver. Nothing to be afraid of." She swallowed her own fear as a messenger tapped her on the shoulder, informing her that she should assist the archers. She looked at Carver. "I'll still be right beside you." She turned and went through the army, climbing up to where the archers were positioned. She drew her bow and notched an arrow. After a few volleys, when the army was entangled with the enemy and arrows could hit their own troops, she jumped down, rolling as she hit the ground and ran into the battle. She found Carver and stood at his back. "I told you didn't I? Right beside you."

The battle was a disaster, and after seeing the king and Duncan both killed by an ogre the woman grabbed Carver. "We're leaving! The battle's lost: we have to get Mother and Bethy to safety!" They ran, killing darkspawn blindly as they went. It took days to reach Lothering, the horde right at their heels, and they barged into their home and grabbed provisions for everyone, explaining in hurried words what had happened. The family ran, followed by the darkspawn.

After a day of running, they found a woman and a Templar fighting. Without thinking, they ran in to help. Their assistance was thanked by the Templar moving toward Bethany. The bloody woman stepped in front of her sister, glaring at the Templar. Introductions were made, and the group continued onward.

It wasn't long before the very ground beneath their feet shook. An ogre ran at them, everyone jumping out of the way. Carver stood between the beast and his mother and he knew what had to be done. "You soulless bastards!" He ran at the ogre and attacked, to little avail. The ogre grabbed him and slammed him on the ground before throwing him aside. Filled with rage, his older sister attacked. With Bethany and Aveline's help, the ogre was defeated and she ran to Carver, but stopped when she saw the damage. She closed her eyes. "At least Father will have company." The horde desended upon them, but they were saved by a dragon. After agreeing to take an amulet to a Dalish Keeper near Kirkwall in exchange for transport to a ship, the woman saw Bethany kneeling beside Carver's body. She went over and crouched, touching her sister's back. Bethany broke down crying, her older sister barely holding back her own tears. "Sister, make it stop! Carver can't be gone! He can't!"

The woman swallowed. "I'm sorry, Bethy." She pulled her younger sister into a hug. "I know it hurts, but I can't take it away." She closed her eyes, knowing only time would dull these growing pains.

A year later, The woman walked through the Deep Roads with Bethany, Varric, and Fenris. She'd come to like the broody Tevinter elf, and found that she could trust him. Bethany staggered. "Could we...slow down? I'm not feeling well."

The woman stopped and turned around. "I think all of our stomachs are a little uneasy right now."

Varric laughed. "I'll wager it's those Deep Mushrooms we found."

Bethany faltered. "No, it's..." She collapsed.

The woman's eyes widened and she ran over. "Bethany!" She pulled her sister to her, cradling her head as she listened to her dying words. A tear escaped and slid down her cheek.

Bethany smiled weakly and touched her sister's cheek. "It's just growing pains, Sister. You'll make it stop. You always do."

The woman nodded and slowly took a knife out, holding it with both hands so she wouldn't shake. Bethany nodded and she drove the blade into her sister's heart, ending her suffering. With a shaky hand, she closed her sister's eyes. "I took the pain away, Bethy. I always do." She trembled as she fought the tears: now was not the time to lose it. "It's just growing pains."


End file.
